📌 Key Points
- Ranveer Singh has served a legal notice to FWICE over their non-cooperation directive.
- The directive was issued following Ranveer’s alleged exit from Farhan Akhtar’s film Don 3.
- FWICE initially called for members not to work with Ranveer, though later denied it was a ‘ban’.
- The Competition Commission of India (CCI) previously ruled FWICE lacks authority for such restrictions.
Bollywood star Ranveer Singh has escalated his dispute with the Federation of Western Indian Cine Employees (FWICE), serving a legal notice. This action comes after FWICE issued a non-cooperation directive against him, stemming from his alleged exit from the upcoming film Don 3, igniting a major industry controversy.
FWICE’s Non-Cooperation Directive
The saga of the so-called ‘ban’ on Ranveer Singh from the Federation of Western Indian Cine Employees ( FWICE ) has reached court, with the actor serving a legal notice to the organisation. The development comes days after FWICE had issued a non-cooperation directive against the actor over his unceremonious exit from Farhan Akhtar ’s Don 3, effectively calling for a ban against him in Bollywood.
Last week, FWICE, headquartered in Mumbai, had called for all its members not to work on any project starring Ranveer Singh. The decision, the body said, was taken after Farhan Akhtar, the director and producer of Don 3, urged the body to act, alleging Ranveer had walked out of his film days before the shoot was to commence.
Don 3 Exit Sparks Controversy
Later that day, FWICE President Ashoke Pandit told reporters at a press conference that the organisation sent Ranveer multiple notices but received no response. Consequently, they acted and asked their members not to work on any project featuring the actor. “None of our workers or members, across all crafts, will work on any of his projects. We have requested that all producers take a stand, join us in solidarity, speak out against this conduct, and make a firm decision,” he said. Later that week, Pandit said that the non-cooperation directive was not a ‘ban’ as had been claimed earlier.
From a legal standpoint, the FWICE does not have the authority to ban any member of the film fraternity. In 2017, the Competition Commission of India (CCI), ruling on a case filed by producer Vipul Amrutlal Shah, held that FWICE’s mandate that a producer could engage only with its members violated the Competition Act, 2002 (Act), which prohibits anti-competitive agreements. It also said that FWICE cannot impose any penalty to enforce that clause. Consequently, CCI issued a cease-and-desist order against the organisation.
Legal Challenge & CCI Precedent
Don 3 was announced in 2023 by Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment. A teaser, released on YouTube and social media, unveiled Ranveer’s first look as the iconic character, earlier played by Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan. However, the film was delayed after the initial announcement and did not enter pre-production until late 2025.
This legal challenge by Ranveer Singh highlights the ongoing power struggle within the film industry. With a past CCI ruling against FWICE’s authority, the outcome of this dispute could set a significant precedent for artist-federation relations in Bollywood.
